As Madsen wrote last week, the election was a close run thing. We've been spared a Corbyn premiership, for now. But my fear is that this ends up being a repeat of 1992–97, where five years of paralysis lead to a landslide defeat. Only, this time, it's not Tony Blair but Jeremy Corbyn who gets the massive majority.
No thanks. In today's City AM I outline an agenda for whoever replaces Theresa May to avoid that. It's crucial that her successor uses this time in government to do things that voters will reward them for when the next election comes around, and offers them a manifesto worth showing up for:
As for the next manifesto, focus on policies that have worked elsewhere.
Let local government issue municipal bonds for investment, as in Australia and the US; create a legal framework for long-term leases as in Germany; bring in Japanese-style track-and-train integration of the railways; copy Scandinavian models of childcare, which are much more affordable and less prescriptive than our own.
And show some compassion. Make Britain the most open market on earth for exporters from poor countries; give us the most humane animal welfare standards for food and farming in the world; immediately and unilaterally guarantee EU citizens’ rights; ditch the parochial and misguided migration cap.